Snooth Editorial Score

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Winemaker's Notes:

"The 2001 Gran Reserva is 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano barrel-fermented and aged for 3 years in French and American oak. 2001 was a great vintage in Rioja and is reflected in this superb effort. Dark ruby-colored, it exhibits an alluring bouquet (earth notes, background oak, Asian spices, a hint of balsamic, roasted herbs, lavender, black cherry, and blackberry) that is given added complexity from the extended bottle aging. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, it still has a bit of ripe tannin to resolve, plenty of spicy red and black fruits, impeccable balance, and 5-7 more years of aging potential. This classy Gran Reserva will have a drinking window extending from 2015 to 2031, and probably longer...94+" WA 06/10

Tight and reticent on the nose, this opens slowly to reveal a super fine shale and vanilla accented small cherry fruit. On the palate, this is tight but shows great richness and depth. The fruit is a wonderfully pure mix of raspberry and cherry pit, accented with touches of wood spice and asphalt. The finish shows building tannins that obscure a bit of detail, but this remains quite pure and elegant. Another wine that could use a few more years in the cellar to show its full potential, though this will be classically elegant and pure. 92pts

Medium red. Ripe cherry and plum aromas are strongly influenced by vanillin oak and mocha. Sweet, toasty red berry flavors verge on jammy but are enlivened by zesty acidity. Fine-grained tannins add support to the long, sweet finish. The oak is pretty strong right now but I'll bet that it will be absorbed by the fruit with time in bottle.

"The 2001 Gran Reserva is 95% Tempranillo and 5% Graciano barrel-fermented and aged for 3 years in French and American oak. 2001 was a great vintage in Rioja and is reflected in this superb effort. Dark ruby-colored, it exhibits an alluring bouquet (earth notes, background oak, Asian spices, a hint of balsamic, roasted herbs, lavender, black cherry, and blackberry) that is given added complexity from the extended bottle aging. Medium-bodied and elegant on the palate, it still has a bit of ripe tannin to resolve, plenty of spicy red and black fruits, impeccable balance, and 5-7 more years of aging potential. This classy Gran Reserva will have a drinking window extending from 2015 to 2031, and probably longer...94+" WA 06/10